Charmed
by silent nox2
Summary: The holidays have a way of bringing unexpected surprises. First it was a pink bundle, then a kunai to the stomach, and now a plotting shark for a partner. Throw in some sake and you get a very happy Christmas. [Threeshot]
1. Charmed Once

It was a bad day for the Uchiha prodigy. Despite it being the season of celebration and the approaching Christmas, it was still a lousy day. His father had gone somewhere and his little brother was out doing god-knows-what. Most likely training, he thought to himself. Thinking about Sasuke training reminded him of their non-existent family relation. He was sure that his little sibling hates his guts. But that can be argued, since he was very likely to hate every single inch of him as well, including his guts.

On top of being stuck in the house, he was now told to open the door for their relatives and greet them. It seems fate was against him seeing as how almost the entire clan decided to say their holiday greetings on this day. So he was quite surprised when a little girl showed up on their doorsteps.

Round bright orbs of the purest green he had ever seen stared curiously into his own onyx eyes. Her short pink hair framed her small face, tied together with a red ribbon on the top of her head. She stood at the door, barely reaching his thigh as she stared up at him, a wondrous look on her face. Just like most kids during this time of the year, she too was wrapped up in thick layers of clothes to fend off the cold weather. Out side, the snow was falling, covering the village of Konoha in a layer of pure white.

The Uchiha turned his attention back to the small bundle of clothing standing at the door. Kids nowadays have the strangest hair colors….

"Yes?" he asked in his low voice.

That seemed to shake the little girl out of her daze as she tilted her head to the side. After a moment of hesitation, she bowed slightly to him.

"Gomen Nasai," Her voice was small and shy. " Watashi wa Haruno Sakura, can Sasuke-kun come out?" Her eyes were hopeful as she looked up at him with a smile. Now that he thought about it, she does look Sasuke's age, and he had always complained about annoying girls bothering him at school. But this little girl doesn't strike him as the type to be a stalker and the obsessive type…

"Wait here a moment." He turned to leave and ask his mother where Sasuke went but the little girl started talking quietly.

"…It's okay if he doesn't want to come out…" Her voice held sadness. "I don't want to bother him if he's training…I just wanted to say Merry Christmas to him…" The pink haired girl started to fidget, it was then that Itachi noticed the small package in her hand. It was wrapped in a soft colored cloth with a red ribbon tied on top.

"…ano…" She held out the package to him with her small hands. "Can you just give this to him and tell him Merry Christmas?"

He took the package from her gloved hands and was about to close the door when his mother came out from the kitchen.

"Itachi, who is it?" She was still drying her hands on the apron as she approached. As soon as she saw the girl, his mother kneeled down on the ground to see the small girl at eye level.

"What can we do for you sweetie?" Itachi rolled his eyes at the soft and feminine tone women use whenever they see something 'adorable' or 'cute'. The little girl bowed again to his mother and introduced herself with manner that his little brother lacked. It amazed him that a kid this young would already know how to act respectfully.

"Konnichiwa, watashi wa Haruno Sakura. I just wanted to wish Sasuke a Merry Christmas." Her face was flushed, whether from the cold or meeting the mother of her classmate, he didn't know. Either way, his mother seemed to be rather fond of the girl, considering she had only met her a minute ago. Maybe it's just something all mothers go through when they don't have a daughter but only sons…

"Aren't you sweet?" It seemed as if the woman had fell for the little girl's charms. His mother was practically dragging the little girl into their house as she urged her in.

"Come in then, I don't want such a sweet girl like you to wait and freeze outside…" Itachi sighed as he closed the door behind them and followed them into the kitchen where his mother was sitting the girl down and getting her something warm to drink. Being so short, her chin barely reached the tabletop as she sat still. Her large emerald orbs followed the woman as she walked back and forth, preparing everything she could for their little guest. After a moment, she placed a steaming cup and a plate of cookies in front of her.

The Haruno girl was still watching her with her big eyes.

"…You're very pretty…" she said shyly after a moment. It was then that Itachi decided that all mothers who have had no daughter definitely has a fetish with cute little girls… such as this one. Her mother instantly hugged the girl to her and petted her head.

"Aww…You're such a sweet cutie…"

"Mother…" Itachi couldn't stand it anymore. "Aren't you over-reacting?"

His mother gave him a miffed look but ignored him as she sat next to the little girl and watched her taking small bites out of a cookie.

"Why don't you stay for dinner, Sakura-chan?" Itachi cringed at the affectionate tone his mother used with the little girl. It hasn't even been ten minutes and his mother was already acting as if the little girl was her long lost daughter… He watched the girl finish chewing and wiped her mouth clean before answering.

"Arigato… but I have to go find Ino at 5 o'clock…" Both Uchihas looked up at the clock on the wall. It was already 4:30.

"Sasuke should be home in a bit. I can call your friend so she'll know you're here." His mother suggested. It seemed as if though she truly wanted to keep the little girl there, Itachi noted.

"Iie… I don't want to be a bother…" Her eyes were downcast. "I just wanted to give him his Christmas present."

"Oh." His mother sound disappointed. "Then-"

"We'll give him the present when he homes home." Itachi interrupted, holding up the package. The girl turned to him and gave him a warm smile before saying thank you and standing up. She half waddled to the door before sitting down and putting on her shoes. Both Uchihas followed her and his mother started to grab her own coat before the phone rang. Just as she turned to answer the phone, she gave Itachi a small push from behind.

"Walk her home." Even from her tone, he knew it was a command and not an option to refuse. Itachi sighed and grabbed his own coat before following the little girl out the door. It was snowing hard outside, large pieces of the crystal blowing into their faces. He caught up to the girl quickly, consider her stride wasn't very big. The girl tilted her head and looked at him again.

He cleared his throat. Truth be told, he didn't like it when people stare at him, least of all a little girl. They walked for a while as Itachi kept silent seeing as the girl knew her way. The only thing bothering him was the speed they were going at. With her small feet and short stride, it would take a while before they make it to her house, not to mention the snow was almost burying her alive. Sighing inwardly, he reached down to pick up the little girl. She gave a surprised squeal before settling in his arms, a questioning look on her face.

"It's faster this way." And silence once again dawned upon them. Under normal circumstances, Itachi is never one for conversations, so he doesn't have much experience to begin with. He searched his brain for things to talk about with little kids, but she got to it first.

"Sasuke-kun really likes you." She said in her small voice.

Itachi raised a brow. "Oh?" He gave a small chuckled and looked at the small girl in his arms.

"I think hate is the word you're looking for."

"Why do you say that?" Maybe it was her innocent curiosity that got to him, or maybe his brain was just frozen from the cold, but he answered her anyways.

"Because he can't match up to my standards, father doesn't see him because he's not me." He doubted the girl would understand what he's saying, but he still told her anyways.

"But Sasuke-kun is Sasuke-kun, and Itachi-san is Itachi-san." She tilted her head to the side. "So Sasuke-kun can't be you." If he was surprised at her words, he didn't show it. But he was surprise that the little girl would know his name.

"You know who I am?"

The girl nodded. "Sasuke-kun once wrote a report on you, I wrote about my friend Ino." His interest was peaked. Why would Sasuke write about him… unless the topic was the one you despise the most. But still, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"What's the report on?"

"um…" She thought about it for a moment before turning back to Itachi. "… My Idol." He was shocked for a minute, and didn't bother to hide it. He stopped walking and stood there, his mind turning to process the meaning of all this. After a few second, he started to laugh. A true laugh, not the forced one, but a genuine laugh in the middle of the snowy weather. The little girl waited patiently in his arms, looking at him again with the wondrous daze.

After recomposing himself, he started walking again. His face was gentler, and his heart felt lighter after that, as if a burden was lifted from his shoulders. He turned to the girl and noticed that she was watching him again, with her bright emerald orbs.

"You should laugh more often." She said with a smile. Before he can say anything else, she tugged on his coat and pointed to where another girl was standing. He watched as another little girl came towards them, huffing along the way.

"Sakura! Where have you been? I've been waiting since forever!" The blonde girl yelled. Realizing that this was the friend she talked about, Itachi slowly put the pink haired girl down. She walked towards her friend.

"Gomen nasai Ino-chan." Her face was downcast again, staring at the snow on the ground.

"Come on then." The girl said as she turned and started back towards the flower shop. Sakura stood there for a moment before trailing after the other girl. Itachi watched as she ran into the shop, when he was sure the girl was safe, he turned around to head home. Before he could go three steps, her small voice stopped him. He turned around and saw the little girl run towards him, a single flower in hand. Her breath emitted white clouds when she spoke.

"Here." She held out the lavender-colored flower to him. If he wasn't mistaken, it was a Heather.

"Ino-chan said that this flower means ad-admira-… um…" She was struggling with the word.

"Admiration?"

"Yeah." She smiled at him. "Just like how Sasuke-kun looks up to you." Not knowing how to reply to this, Itachi opted to pet her head instead.

"Arigato for walking me here."

Itachi nodded and turned to leave. Not bother to wipe the small smile off his lips. It seems as though the girl had that talent, of making people around her smile. Or perhaps it was just her contagious smile. Behind him, he could distinctively hear the little girl shout out Merry Christmas to him.

With the flower in hand, the Uchiha prodigy finally decided that this day was so bad after all. It seemed as though he had gotten his present early this year.

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** A/N**: Here's my attempt for writing something with the Christmas theme, it's not horrible now, is it? This was meant to be a one-shot, all I wanted to do was write something with a young Sakura and Itachi before he turned all evil and slaughtered everyone. Anyway, this is just my way of saying a formal "Merry Christmas" to everyone who puts up with my story. So have a happy whatever-that-you-celebrate and just enjoy the holidays!


	2. Charmed Yet Again

… 

And they became nothing except names to be recognized and feared. Dark and merciless as the deadliest night, with crimson red tainting their hands and clothes…

They _are_ the Akatsuki

xoxoxo

No matter how much times had passed, or how much a person had changed over the years, certain things were still immutable. As with how the snow falls silently from the endless sky, or how the soft layer crushes underneath a footstep. Unlike the harsh winter cold of the northern lands, winter in the country of the Leafs was a smooth affair. Drifting softly from above, covering everything in its wake with a mask of purity and innocence.

Funny how blood seems to ruin everything…

As he continued his journey, a trail of light crimson was made behind him with each step. But regardless of the mark he's leaving behind, the man continued on with no destination in mind. It seemed that Santa found him early this year…

And gave him a kunai in the stomach instead of coal

The corner of his pale lips lifted, part way to forming his usual smirk. The weather was quite unforgiving as well, seeing as how he'd lost his coat during the night attack. As the wind pricked at his exposed skin, his eyes wandered to search for a suitable place he could hide for a while. A heavy snow covered the forest that surrounded him, and the continuous fall of snow made it impossible to find where one was.

Realizing that he was faltering in his steps, the man slowly walked to a huge oak before leaning against its wide trunk. Before he's aware of it, he had already fallen into a heap by the base, the snow continuously covering his body. As he slowly drifted away from reality, the only thing he saw out of the corner of his eyes was a flash of pink before he fell victim to the consuming darkness.

xoxoxo

The piercing wind whipped and lashed at her face as she tracked through the snow. Her long strands of pink hair flowing behind her person while she wrapped her heavy cloak closer around herself. To tell the truth, Sakura loved the winter. It was a time of the year where she could remember the past and the joyous moments that team seven had…Back when the three-person team still existed.

…and back when Sasuke was still with them

She could remember the year where they all showed up at Kakashi's door and woke him up on Christmas morning. That was the time that she truly felt that they were growing closer as a team, and that they'll always be together. But how stupid and naïve was she to think that…

Now, seven years later at the age of 19, Haruno Sakura knew better. Everything had changed, and will never be the same. The dark avenger that she used to love was gone, lost forever in the clutches of a snake. Naruto, her best friend and confidant, had fled Konoha once he heard the news. Even to this day, he might still be searching for the former member of team 7. And lastly, their sensei became obsolete…drowning himself in sake and misery at the loss of his two precious students…

So much for team seven, the next generation of Sannins…

Sakura smiled bitterly, remembering how much hope was placed on the group in their youth. Well…more like two particular members of the group. It wasn't like anyone expected anything of the odd girl with the big forehead to become anything _but_ a mediocre kunoichi.

Funny how things always turned out differently than what one would expect

With the loss of 2 prospect shinobis from team seven, Sakura became the only one left to succeed the legendary Senin. And succeed she did. She took all that Tsunade-dono could teach her and devoured it before seeking more. Her drive for learning filling the void that existed in her heart. A hole made by betrayal and loss.

It was at time like this that she wondered if the hole would ever be filled.

Pausing suddenly in her step, the kunoichi scanned the area for the source of danger that her body felt. It felt as though something was beckoning her to move…It was only then that she noticed a small trail of blood that tainted the snow-covered ground. Someone was hurt…and badly as well. Heaving a sigh, Sakura muttered to herself,

"Who the hell gets hurt on Christmas Eve…."

Nonetheless, She followed the trail that led her further into the forest, and found herself looking at a half buried person at the base of a tree trunk. Walking over to the pile, Sakura removed the snow gathered on top of the unconscious figure and tilted his head to check the identity of the stranger. As soon as her emerald eyes fell on the pale face of the man, she let out a bitter chuckle.

"Guess the jolly old man decided to give me my present early this year…"

Heaving the unmoving figure over her back, the pink haired kunoichi continued on her way home. The coldness of her burden pressed onto her back made her aware of the danger the man was in. Without realizing, her steps sped up and the forest around them became a blur.

Who knew her only companion this year on Christmas Eve would be an unconscious Uchiha Itachi….

xoxoxo

Gradually, he came to as his eyelids lifted to reveal two shining orbs of the famed Sharingan. Starring fixedly at the apartment ceiling for a moment, Itachi quickly focused himself and forced his eyes to observe and take in his surroundings. Before his head could completely register his whereabouts, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Wakey wakey sleeping beauty-" Before Sakura could blink, the elder Uchiha had already gone with his reflex and disappeared right before her eyes. A small smile formed on her lips as she tilted her head upwards, forcing her body to meet the kunai held right behind her vertebrae. Lifting her eyes up, emerald green clashed with the deadly eyes of swirling crimson.

"Had a good sleep, princess?" Sakura said cheerfully as the smile never left her face. She watched as the Akatsuki's eyes narrowed at her. Her smile turned wilder as Sakura laughed inwardly at his expression. It was fun to mess with a genocidal maniac that had just woken up.

"…Where am I?" His question was simple as Itachi pushed the sharp projectile deeper into the woman's back, demanding an answer. But all he received was a small chuckle as the female regarded his face in deep contemplation before reaching a hand up to stroke his cheek.

"You know, you _do_ look a lot like Sasuke…but prettie-" She leaped away as the kunai behind her made an arc through the air, barely missing her neck. Landing softly on her coffee table and facing the pissed off Uchiha, all Sakura could do was laugh at the expression on the missing nin's face. Faking mock offense, Sakura placed a hand on her hips and shook the other one at the glaring man.

"Have some manners, Itachi. Hasn't anyone taught you to make pleasantries before beheading someone?" Sakura made 'tsk' sounds as she wiggled her finger back and forth. A moment of silence passed between the two before the Uchiha's intense glare was getting to her. Sighing for dramatic effects, Sakura stepped down from the table and sat herself down at the single couch.

"You're in Konoha, about 5 miles away from where you fell unconscious. And this," She gestured to the small but cozy apartment they were in. "Is my humble abode." Silence was all she heard from her temporary guest. Guessing that he wasn't going to talk anytime soon, Sakura got up and started towards the kitchen. If he was just going to stand and act like a statue, then she might as well make some tea while he's at it. Only when she was boiling the water and reaching the cupboard for the tea did he speak again.

"Why?"

"Hmm…" Sakura turned her head around to look at Itachi as though she was contemplating her answer. A lopsided grin appeared on her face as she gave the missing nin her reply.

"Because you're pretty so I decided to keep you and make you my pet slave?"

Her pink tresses shifted with her head as Sakura dodged the projectile aimed for her head. A second later found three kunais stuck to the white plaster wall behind the cupboard. Sakura stared at the lodged weapons for a minute before sighing again. It seemed that some people just couldn't appreciate a sense of humor; either that or they were simply born without it…

"…emotionally-derived bastard…" she murmured to herself before turning her attention on the Uchiha again, this time with a serious look. Beside her, the kettle let out a long whistle to indicate the water was boiled enough.

"To be honest?" she took the kettle off the stove and walked over to the counter, where the cups with teabags sat. She talked as she poured the steaming water into the individual cups. "I have no idea why I saved you, but anything was better than leaving you out there, especially on Christmas Eve."

"After all," Sakura continued as she carried the tray with the tea over to the living room. "It is the time of giving, so I guess even guys like you deserve a break."

A cup was brought to her face as she flew on it. Watching the Akatsuki's reaction from the corner of her eyes, Sakura was surprised to see the elder Uchiha with a small smirk on his face. _Should I be scared or not?_ She thought to herself as she regarded the still man wearily.

"In other words…" His soft but husky voice made her shiver as Sakura watched the man lower himself onto her couch. "Since little Sasuke has not come home yet, you decided to pick up me instead, Haruno Sakura?" On his face was a sneer that drained the blood from the kunoichi's face as he taunted the girl. "But I can assure you, Sakura-_chan_, saving me would not allow you any favor from your precious Sasuke, nor myself."

"I don't need your favors, or his." The slight anger the Uchiha detected from her voice made him arch a brow. This kunoichi had to be the most confusing one he has ever had the pleasure of meeting. But on the other hand, she was also the most entertaining. Not to mention… He made an obvious appraisal of the young woman sitting to the side of him. It seemed all that training for a kunoichi and under the current Hokage of the Leaf did the girl some good. Her figure certainly wasn't lacking and he could almost be sure that her skin would feel as soft as it appeared.

"Tell me then, Sakura-_chan_," He deepened his voice and was pleased to find her shivering slightly because of it. "What can you gain from all of this, as I am sure keeping me alive would be opposite of what your darling Sasuke would wish for." He paused to gauge the girl's reaction, but the little kunoichi stayed neutral much to his disappointment.

"And I'm also certain you did not save me for the village, seeing as how I woke up in your home instead of the Anbu prison."

"So you must tell me, Sakura-chan," His eyes stared intensely into her narrowing green orbs. "What you wish of me by all this." Itachi watched as the girl remained unmoving for a small while before reaching up a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. The sigh that followed from her lips was not unexpected.

"As I've said, Itachi-_san_" Amusement found its way onto his lips as he heard the sarcasm dripping from her address. "There is no reason behind me saving you." Her elegant fingers reached up to move back a strand of pink locked that fell onto her face. A small smile formed on her lips, unlike the mocking ones she gave him before. Still Itachi's face remained passive, not betraying the confusion he felt inside.

"It's Christmas." Her eyes drifted to the window, staring into the falling snow outside. A brief flash of nostalgia went through her eyes, followed by a soft sort of sadness into them. _Her eyes are expressive despite being a kunoichi_…The swirls of red in his eyes never once left the young woman's. Seeing her like this brought up memories of the past, ones he had forgotten so long ago.

Memories of a home, of family during this time of the year, and of a little girl that gave him a flower. ..

A small wistful sigh left his lips as he too stared out into the window. The intensity of his Sharingan faded away as he forced the chakra away, leaving only the onyx coloring of his birth. For once since he joined the Akatsuki, he would relax in the presence of another. Besides, he found himself at ease with the young woman that had saved his life. Maybe it was because of the season, and maybe it was because of her, but Itachi couldn't bring himself to simply end the night by bloodshed and flee the village. Only on the inside, he would admit it to himself…_This is…nice._

Silence enveloped them as both occupants of the room stared out the window, each in their own thoughts. The only thing to interrupt the silence was a barely audible sentence that fell from the Uchiha's lips.

"Thank you."

His eyes softened slightly as he watched a sincere smile spread across her red lips, another reminder of young thing he had met once in his life before. Her smile always did make him feel strange, but not in a bad way.

"You're welcome, Itachi-san."

And he found peace again in that one night spent with the pink haired kunoichi.

xoxoxo

When her emerald eyes opened again to face the world, the sun had already risen. As the haze from her sleep slowly faded away, everything that happened last night finally registered in Sakura's head. Bolting up from her position on the couch, wide emerald eyes scanned the room for any sign of the elusive Uchicha. A small sigh of disappointment touched her lips upon realizing that she was all alone in her apartment space.

Using a hand to run through her sleep tangled pink locks, Sakura stretched in her upright position to rid of the kinks in her spine for sleeping all curled up. It was only then that she realized the blanket that was draped over her. _Funny, I don't remember getting this last night. _The young woman pondered the question to herself as she pushed aside the blanket and stood up. Stifling a yawn as she gathered up the cooled tea from last night, she paused in her steps as she noticed something on the table.

Sitting so innocently beside Itachi's untouched tea was a small flower taken from the whole of a hydrangea. The lilac petals tinted with the barest touch of blue seemed to shine from the morning sunlight falling on it. Setting down the cups in her hand, Sakura can't help but pick up the delicate flower gingerly. Her small fingers stroked over the soft petals as her thoughts wandered to the mysterious Uchiha that have shared his Christmas Eve with her, without killing her or showing malicious intent. _Well, for the most part._ She thought to herself.

A smile once again reached her lips as she stared at the delicate form of the innocent hydrangea.

_Who knew the cold-blooded Uchiha would take the time to learn flower language..._ Placing the flower back onto the table, Sakura proceeded with her day. After all, it was Christmas day and there were things to be done and presents to open. But in her heart, she knew the most precious of gifts had already been opened, and it was in the form of that single flower glistening on her table.

xoxoxo

_Hydrangea, the flower head of spring and autumn; "Thank you for understanding…"_

_

* * *

_

**AN: **As promised, a sort of sequel to Charmed. I realize that late March is nowhere near Christmas, but I started this during Christmas and ended up getting sidetracked. With much thanks to Phoe-chan who pointed out my horrible mistakes, I give her my sincerest gratitude. And I realize that Sakura acts OOC, but I guess I like a Sakura that reacts that way. How else would she put up with Itachi's evilness? I hope there isn't more stupid mistakes with spelling and grammer, but somehow I know there will always be there...


	3. Third Time's a Charm

History has a tendency to repeat itself, whether intentional or not.

It is not something a mortal could control, and it certainly isn't what anyone would have expected. But sometimes, it is the unexpected which makes life so full of stories worthy of telling.

((xoxo))

Seeing her face enlarged and carved onto the side of the Hokage monument was not something she needed or wanted to see, _ever_. The magnification of her visage publicly displayed in the open with eyes that made her look as if she was blind and a stern look on her face; it was almost alien to her. But those were not the worse aspects, oh no, with only a trail of bangs off to the right side, it left her forehead quite visible and also quite noticeable to the public eye.

'_Great, when I said I'll stop hiding my forehead all those years ago, I never thought I would ever regret it…_' Sakura sighed as she tore her green eyes away from the window and back into the office of the Hokage. It had taken her a long time to finally accept her newly appointed role after Tsunade-sama resigned, claiming to have caught up with her age and needed to be liberated from all the responsibilities. But it couldn't have been further from the truth, for Sakura knew what had caused her mentor to finally loose her spirit and step down.

Naruto was dead, as was Shizune. It seemed that an Anbu team, led by Shizune, had finally managed to track down the elusive Kyubi host, locked in battle with the snake who wore the skin of their former teammate. Sasuke was no more, his mind long been destroyed for the sake of Orichimaru's goals. And it pissed Naruto off until he lost all sense of control.

And then there was nothing left.

The released Kyubi was more than capable of destroying their enemy, and _then_ some. The tragic battle ended with 13 more names carved into the black depth of the memorial, and the cursed corpse of Shizune who sacrificed herself to seal what remained of the Kyubi.

A tragic end to a tragic beginning, but it wasn't something Sakura hadn't foreseen. There was never an ounce of hope to begin with, so she wasn't about to loose too much sleep over it.

Yes, she shed tears.

Yes, she lost touch with reality for a few days.

And yes, she wondered if she could continue on with her life after such a tragic event.

But the pain was all too familiar to her already that the confirmation of Naruto and Sasuke's deaths didn't hurt as much as people expected of her. Having lived her own life for the last ten years without seeing either of the two males, Sakura had more than enough time to worry, miss, and cry about them. And ten years was more than enough for any girl to waste on someone she never saw and would never see again. In a way, the news of their deaths set her free of the whispered questions lingering in the back of her mind. No longer would she wonder if either of them was still alive, and no longer would she have to be hopeful whenever a messenger came bearing news of sighting the two former Konoha shinobi.

They were no more, and Sakura was able to bid her last goodbye at their memorial. She cried that day, but the rain was kind enough to masque her tears. She knew internally that those would be the last tears she would shed for their sakes.

The council elders of Konoha came knocking on her apartment door the following day, informing her of Tsunade-sama's desire to resign. And that her wish was for Sakura to succeed the position.

She agreed without hesitation, simply because she needed to move on with her life. And what could provide better distraction than busying herself with the task of a Hokage?

((xoxo))

"It seems that Konoha got a new Hokage," Kisame informed his partner as he carelessly tossed his soaked straw hat to a corner of the room before laying down his Samehada against the cheap plaster wall. Hearing no comment from the quiet Uchiha standing near the window, the Akatsuki continued with his report of what he saw near the forest of Konoha.

"Seemed to be another medic chick, that pupil of Tsunade's." That seemed to catch the Uchiha's attention as the shark man felt a pair of eyes boring into his back. Chuckling softly to himself, Kisame wondered if this had something to do with the Uchiha returning to headquarters a few years back in bloodied robes but no wound.

"You know her?" Kisame asked as he turned around, catching the swirling pool of the Sharingan in the other man's eyes. If he hadn't been partners with the man for so long, he would have trembled when the Uchiha narrowed his eyes on him. But seeing as how long he'd been with Itachi, it only meant that he was right about something from the murderous look in the prodigy's eyes.

"A past lover, perhaps? Kami knows you need a good lay these days," the shark man commented offhandedly, ignoring the silent rage he could feel coming from the other side of the room.

"You will do well to keep to your own business, Kisame." The cold reply chilled the room so suddenly as though someone had dropped a giant block of ice through the roof. Yet the mist missing nin did nothing in response, instead chuckling deeply at the warning. Turning his head slightly to look the Uchiha directly in the eye, which few people in the entire world have the gall to do, Kisame merely lifted the corner of his pale lips into a smirk.

"Relax, Uchiha," he motioned his head slightly in the direction of the window, "it's Christmas."

Itachi said nothing as he turned back to his original position of looking out the window, deliberately ignoring the shark man who he knew had drunk one too many sake prior to returning. Staring out the window into the darkness that is the night, the silent prodigy mused to himself on the coincidence of him being so near Konoha at this time of the year. Words such as destiny and fate meant little to him, yet the significance of him being near his home village during this time was not lost on him.

Something white caught his attention out of the corner of his eyes, and he lifted his head slightly to see what it was.

It was snowing… Just like last time when he spent the night at _her_ home.

If he had to admit to himself, he had been slightly surprised that the next in line Hokage would be appointed to someone like her. Perhaps her relation with Tsunade was what made her the next candidate in the first place, but he doubted that it was entirely based on association. She was anything but weak, that much he would give her. And her attitude spoke volumes about the trials she had faced and the horrors she had been through. She wasn't inadequate, no.

It just didn't sit well with him to see her on the pedestal, seemingly changed from the girl he had met a few years ago. But he was knocked out of her musing when a loud grunt came from the section where Kisame occupied. Turning his head briefly to watch the shark man, he raised a brow and the man proceeded to dress himself once again before grabbing his sword.

"I'm going out, the silence is killing me," was all he said before the wooden door crashed shut behind him.

Left on his own again, Itachi merely turned back to the window, watching idly as the white flakes continue to fall across the dark expanse. It was peaceful all around him, but there was a sense of restlessness within him that he couldn't pinpoint. He simply hoped that it'll go away soon.

((xoxo))

Large mess of hot air expelled from his opened mouth as the renowned shark of Akatsuki sauntered down the empty street. It was already late into the night, and most shops had already closed for the winter holiday. Kisame sighed loudly into the cold air as he wiped away the snow that had gathered on his person. A slight crouching sound alerted him to the presence of chakra behind him, and he thanked the jolly old man for giving him some poor soul to victimize on the joyous day of Christmas.

Reaching behind him to unbind the Samehada, he grasped the sword tightly in his hand before turning around to look at his opponent. He had expected it to be one or two of the Konoha guards who was on watch, only it wasn't. Kisame chuckled loudly into the night air, his eyes taking on a predatory glint.

"Well well well, if it isn't Konoha's new little Hokage," the wide smirk on his face did nothing to hide the sharp fangs behind. Yet the girl remained unfazed and simply lifted a brow after she took a minute to examine him.

"Are you… drunk?" She asked with an incredulous look. Scoffing loudly, the shark Akatsuki merely rolled his eyes at the woman.

"Just shut up and fight, little girl," he added as an afterthought, "unless you're too afraid to do it."

It was Sakura's turn to roll her eyes as she took her stance in the middle of the dark street. Normally she would have ignored any form of mocking in favor of resolving in a peaceful way, but lately there was unease underneath her very skin. An itch she hopes would be clenched after a good fight. Besides, this was an Akatsuki she was dealing with here, despite it being an intoxicated one.

"Now, let's see how long you can last." The blade was turned to line up with her head as shark man bared his teeth. Sighing under her breath, Sakura lifted her gloved hands into a defensive position.

"Akatsuki and their bloodlusts on Christmas…" she muttered underneath her breath, making the shark raise a brow at the odd comment. It seemed that his assumption had been correct when he teased the cold Uchiha about the woman who was now the sixth Hokage, there must be some connection between the two of them. So perhaps he wouldn't kill the girl after all, but it doesn't mean he won't ruffle her up a bit just for the fun of it.

And with that, he charged.

((xoxo))

He had been deep in meditation on the floor when the thumping of feet against the ground registered in his ear. Recognizing it to be Kisame, he simply ignored the noise until the wooden door to the room slammed open. The sight that greeted him was unexpected to say the least, for the shark man looked as though he had gotten into a fight with a rabid squirrel…many rabid squirrels. The Akatsuki's robes were torn in several spots, some parts even look scorched. He was wet from head to toe, but Itachi guess it was due to the heavy snow currently falling outside. Yet what caught his attention the most was the large purple bruise on the shark man's left eye. The ugly wound looked even worse on his pale blue skin, and spanned almost half way on the face.

His inspection was interrupted when Kisame dumped a large bag to the ground, the red velvet cloth looking oddly out of place beside the Akatsuki. Raising a brow, Itachi pinned his partner with a menacing glare that clearly read 'What-did-you-do-now-and-you-better-hope-the-explaination-is-good.' But Kisame merely grunted before reaching up a hand to feel the bruise still forming on his left eye.

"Merry Christmas," was all he said before turning around to head out the door again. Pausing just as he was about to leave, Kisame turned back slightly to smirk at the Uchiha.

"Careful, she's a feisty one."

Waving a hand carelessly in the air, Kisame disappeared from the room as the door closed in his wake. Left alone for the third time on Christmas Eve, Itachi wondered what unfortunate victim had met the wrath of the shark Akatsuki this time. From his position, he could clearly see an outline of a body within the bag, yet he found it odd that Kisame would give him a dead body for Christmas, least of all gives him anything. For a while, Itachi merely remained on the ground, pondering what he should do with the so called "Christmas Gift."

It wasn't until that the bag seemingly twitched that the prodigy finally noticed something. Whatever was inside, it was still alive.

Heaving a sigh upon realizing that Kisame didn't even finish the victim off, Itachi raised himself gracefully from the ground before walking over to the large bag. Pulling out a kunai from within his robe, the Uchiha reached out a hand to pull off the rope which tied the bag close. The string slowly fell as the fabric was brushed aside to reveal the face of a woman, but not just any woman. The Hokage of Fire Country, Haruno Sakura.

His eyes met the woman's surprised emerald orbs before he noticed that she was both gagged and bound with a rope, her hands tied behind her. Without realizing it, his hands had already reached out to pull off the gag from between her full red lips. He watched her with patient eyes as the woman took in a large breath before regulating her breathing once again. Her eyes met his when she was done, curiosity and surprise reining the depth of the bright orbs.

"Uchiha Itachi…" She whispered into the air, uncertain of what to expect from the prodigy she had only seen so long ago.

"Hn."

The monotonous answer brought a smile to Sakura's face.

'_So different, yet so alike…_' she mused to herself before feeling a hardened gaze on her face. Turning around, she caught the slight raise in the Uchiha's brow as he opened his pale lips to speak quietly into the silent room.

"Is something humorous to you?" There was no malice, no hatred in his voice, only slight curiosity. It surprised her greatly that the infamous prodigy would be speaking so civilly to her, but she was not about to make the situation worse than it was by shooting off her mouth. Rather, she'd try to get some answers while the Uchiha seemed to be in a melancholy mood.

"No, not really," she replied, "just curious as to what Akatsuki would want with me, especially on Christmas Eve."

Emerald eyes locked with the swirling Sharingan before the red glow faded into their original onyx. Letting a small sigh escape his lips, Itachi merely reached out a hand to reach out for the rope tying the woman's wrists together.

"Your kidnap is not part of our orders," he spoke as his elegant fingers pulled free the knot, "merely an amusement to my partner."

As the last strand of rope fell away, Sakura brought her tired arms to her chest as she slowly rubbed feelings back into the abused appendage.

"Should I be relieved or insulted?" She quirked a smile.

The corner of his lips lifted before he could stop it, and Itachi found himself relaxing more in the woman's presence, strange how he could feel at ease conversing with an odd creature like her. He caught the kunoichi's slight shivering form in the corner of his eyes, and finally took notice of the ruffled clothing she wore.

It seemed the fight did her no better than it did Kisame, for the girl too had her attire in shreds. What used to be a red top now revealed her pale skin underneath, the fabric torn with few drops of blood staining the fabric. Her skirt bore the same fate as the white material now fell only below her thigh, barely considered appropriate for a proper young woman. Upon closer examination, it seemed that there was little to no wounds on the woman, only her clothes suffered the worse of the blows. He could only hope that this was not all a part of the shark's plan, whatever it was. Realizing that he had been staring at the girl's body for the past few minutes, Itachi quickly removed his eyes, only to catch the embarrassed look on the kunoichi's face.

"Ano… would you happen to have something I can change into?" The increasing blush on her cheek was quite…adorable, if he had to be honest to himself. Yet he would never admit anything of this nature out loud. Kami forbids that Kisame would be there to poke his head into business that didn't concern him again. Sakura's shuffling brought him back to the current dilemma at hand; there was no spare set of clothes for her.

Akatsuki had never been known to travel with baggage, and living the kind of lives they led allowed no comfort on the road. Given that, he of course had no other clothing save the ones on his back. Furthermore, the cheap hotel room provided only the most basic needs, not including sleeping garments or such. All of this meant that there was only one thing left to do.

Mentally cursing the shark man, Itachi slowly unbuttoned the front of his Akatsuki robe before sliding the big cloak from his shoulders. Standing up and draping the article of clothing over the girl's head, Itachi gestured to the small washroom in the room.

"Change."

Staring with wide eyes at the fabric in her hand, Sakura could only hope that no one would ever see her donning Akatsuki clothing. She was the _Hokage_ for crying out loud, and despite how bad it would be to wear the particular cloak, she had no other choice. Seeing the lack of luggage and the shabbiness of her current location, she doubted she could find decent clothing here. It was… nice of the Uchiha to offer his cloak for her cover, yet it wouldn't hurt to try…

"Can't I just leave and go home since you don't need me for your evil plans?"

Itachi met her with a bored gaze, before turning around to look out the window. Thinking that the Uchiha was simply ignoring her, Sakura opened her mouth to lash out at the cold man before his quiet voice drifted to her ears.

"It is Christmas." His simple reply meant nothing, yet his eyes spoke volumes. The black depth of his orbs said what the ice cold exterior would never say…

_It is Christmas, and I don't want to be alone_

Unable to respond to that, Sakura stood dumb funded for a moment before her shoulders dropped slightly. Softened emerald eyes turned towards the window before a wistful smile made it across her lips. It wouldn't be bad to simply stay here for the day, considering there was nothing waiting for her back home. The only thing to greet her would be the dark empty apartment and a lonely dinner by herself. But here… she would at least have someone by her side, just for tonight.

Gripping the dark fabric between her fingers, Sakura made up her mind as all the previous tension fled her body. Smiling impishly at the silent Uchiha, Sakura turned around and headed into the bathroom.

_Maybe it wouldn't be such a lonely Christmas after all_…

((xoxo))

If he had been in the right state of mind at the time, Itachi would have found the situation utterly and completely ridiculous. Here he was, renowned killing machine of Akatsuki, sitting on the ground consuming a liberal amount of sake with the Hokage of Fire Country, who was currently laughing drunkenly beside him. How the woman managed to find such quality sake in the room was beyond him, but something told him it had to do with Kisame. Kami knows what the shark was up to with dumping the Hokage in their hotel room and leaving a generous amount of sake.

Yet hearing the ringing laughter of the intoxicated woman, he had to admit to himself that this wasn't so bad.

A persistent prodding at his side made him turn around to come face to face with the flushed woman. Her cheek colored from consuming the alcohol, and her eyes were half lidded to reveal the darkened jade green of her eyes. While he too had consumed quite a bit of the sake, he was not as far gone as the woman for he still held onto his calm demeanor.

"Yes?" His voice was husky from the liquid.

Small giggles were his reply before the woman held out the half empty bottle in her hand to him.

"Drink up, Ita-kun, you're still too sober!"

He resisted the urge to twitch at the ridiculous version of his name, courtesy of one very wasted Hokage. It seemed that the kunoichi not only inherited the skills of her predecessor, but the alcoholism as well.

Grunting softly in reply, the Uchiha accepted the bottle before bringing it to his mouth. Sakura stared with a goofy smile on her face as the infamous Uchiha downed the remainder of the bottle.

"That's the spirit!" She beamed as she tried to push herself off from the position on the ground, trying to retrieve yet another bottle of the Water Country's highest quality sake. But before she had completely stabilized herself, her legs gave out underneath her and she collapsed back onto the cold hard floor. Fortunately for her, a certain Uchiha was right in the position to cushion her fall.

Just as he had finished the bottle, Itachi caught the sight of the girl falling on her own two feet. Instinctively, his hands reached out to take a hold of the woman before she came crashing down. But he only managed to wrap his arms around her waist before the kunoichi fell into his lap, knocking the wind out of him. As his head met the hard wall behind him briefly, he wondered to himself what he did to deserve such a fate on this day.

When he opened his eyes again, he looked down only to see the woman still draped across his lap, yet she made no move to get up. Nudging her with his hand, Itachi managed to turn her face over slightly before noticing her closed eyes and gentle breathing.

She had fallen asleep.

A small sigh made its way out of his lips before he wondered what he should do. Under normal circumstances, he would had been inclined to simply push the woman off and leave her there, but in his current state, he couldn't help but feel how nice she felt lying across his lab. Gently navigating her so that her head rested on his thigh, Itachi leaned back against the wall. Unconsciously, his hand started to thread through her silky pink hair as his eyes closed. The feeling of calm tranquility passed through him as he allowed himself to relax, listening to the woman's sound of slumber.

It didn't take him long to drift into sleep, all previous sense of restlessness gone from his body. And this was the sight that greeted Kisame when he returned in the early morning, in which he simply smirked knowingly before backing out of the room quietly.

((xoxo))

Her eyes opened groggily as the persistent sun refused to get out of her face. Setting herself upright on the floor, Sakura rubbed her hand across her eyes to rid herself of the remaining drowsiness. Slowly letting a gentle flow of chakara to enter her head to ease the pounding headache, the kunoichi sighed in contentment when the aftereffect of the sake faded away. Stretched her arms above her head, it was only then that Sakura took notice of her surroundings.

As the memories of last night made their way back into her mind, the pink haired woman could only smile softly before pushing herself against the wall to stand up. Before she stood fully, the slight movement of something falling caught her attention. Moving in reflex to catch the object, her emerald orbs widened in surprise at the small bundle of pink petunia in her hand. The five petal flowers fully blossomed as they sat innocently under the sun's rays.

Tucking the small floral adornment back behind her ears where it first fell from, a happy smile formed on her lips as she turned out the window to look at the rising sun. Raising a hand to take a hold of the long sleeve of the dark robe still adorning her petit form, Sakura smiled into the fabric as she whispered.

"Thank you."

((xoxo))

"A-choo!" The loud sneeze rang through the clearing as the shark of Akatsuki raised a hand to wipe at his nose. Despite being born in the cold and wet Water Country, being out in the snow covered forest with only his inner shirt and no cloak was still a bad thing. Sending his silent partner a glare for his predicament, all Kisame received was a pointed look from the cold Uchiha, warm and wrapped up in _his_ cloak.

He had thought that the prodigy would be more relaxed after last night, but apparently he was in the wrong.

"Psh, this is the thanks I get for getting you laid…" Kisame muttered to himself as he attempted to warm himself up by rubbing his arms. It was a difficult thing to do since he was cold blooded, the warmth just refusing to remain in his body.

Itachi merely raised a brow at the comment, saying nothing to deny the comment. He cared not what the Akatsuki thought, as long as he was content with the outcome himself. Even after so many years, the girl still remains unchanged in that she could bring him peace despite the circumstances…

A pink bundle offering him understanding with his brother

A young woman offering him hospitality

And a strong-willed Hokage offering him peace

Even with his blood drenched hands, she would still smile at him. The corner of his lips lifted slightly, forming the beginning of a smile. Taking in the scenery around him, Itachi slowly took in the morning winter air.

It was indeed…

A merry Christmas

((xoxo))

Petunia; _your presence sooths me_

**AN: **Here you go, the last and **final** part of 'Charmed'. There will be no more of 'Charmed', for I cannot keep going at this without making them go into a romantic relationship. I love the ItaSaku pairing, I just don't feel that the meaning of Christmas reflects that strongly if I made them a couple...besides, with Sakura being the Hokage now, any relationship with an Akatsuki would look bad...This time, I actually manged to rush and finish this piece before Christmas, so this once again will be my present to you all and to wish you all a happy politically correct festive holiday. I'm sorry to say that I did not have time to edit it too much, since I needed to get this out before Christmas, so please forgive me for the errors. Have a Merry Festive Season, and an awesome New Year!


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